Governors and their Cabinets

Well, newly elected Governors Deval Patrick (MA) and Eliot Spitzer (NY) have named virtually all of their cabinets (the top plum assignments anyway) and to date, there are NO Asian Americans in them. Sure, they might have Asian American staffers, but no Asian American Secretaries of Transportation/Education/Health/whatever.

I had hoped that the Governors of the most Democratic States could do better than Republican Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger who named A.G. Kawamura Secretary of Food and Agriculture (not insignificant in a state which exports so much of our nation's fruit.)

Patrick at leasat appointed an Asian American (Lev Wing) to his executive transition team and appears to have many Asian American transition staffers, but it's not the same thing.

Since Spitzer was confirmed today and Patrick will be confirmed in 2 days, I see little hope that the situation will be rectified. Asian Americans like Norm Mineta have served with distinction ini Presidential Cabinets under Clinton and Bush Jr. I fail to see why and how they overlooked our community's best and brightest.

In better news, South Asian American Jay Goyal will be the firist Asian American to serve in Ohio's state leg - congrats!